HCR 14-AMEND UNIFORM RULES: STANDING COMMITTEES 3:03:41 PM CHAIR WILSON announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 14, Proposing an amendment to the Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature relating to standing committees. 3:04:49 PM JULI LUCKY, Staff to Representative Mike Hawker, Alaska State Legislature, explained that HCR 14 will establish a separate House Education Standing Committee in statute in order to hear education issues that the Joint Legislative Education Funding Task Force was unable to address. Furthermore, the health and social services issues are many and take the time of the House Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee. She pointed out that the House and the Senate usually have special education committees to hear education bills and the new standing committee will continue that responsibility for the House. 3:06:53 PM CHAIR WILSON expressed a bit of concern with regard to the cross over of education and social services when addressing issues of early development. For bills regarding early development or social services, she stated that she may ask for an additional hearing by the House Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee. 3:07:42 PM REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER asked about the conforming element that is also a part of the bill. MS. LUCKY explained that there is a conforming name change for the Department of Commerce, Community, & Economic Development. 3:08:27 PM EDDY JEANS, Director, School Finance and Facilities Section, Department of Education and Early Development, expressed the support of the Department of Education and Early Development (EED) for HCR 14. CHAIR WILSON closed testimony. 3:09:09 PM REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER moved to report HCR 14 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, it was so ordered. 3:09:47 PM REPRESENTATIVE KELLER stated that he would like more discussion on the bill. He asked if anything was done with regard to putting more professional staff on the existing House Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee. He related his experience as a committee aide that changed his support for separating education to a belief in the benefit of having the two together. He gave an example of the value of having the broad scope of subjects discussed together. He mentioned that he will sign "no recommendation" on the bill report.